A/N – Okay, given the comments to chapter one, I think I'll just apologize in advance. I know it's heavy angst, but trust me. I have a plan and the plan is good. :) Even if you hate it, let me know. The more feedback, the faster I update!

Chapter 2 – Not the Way We Planned

Lulu didn't know what to say. He had been lying to her from day one. Johnny was a Zacchara. He wanted all of what came with being a Zacchara. He wanted the business and the power and the money. She finally looked into his eyes and her heart broke. He was staring at her with so much hope and there was none. She loved Johnny, but she refused to support him taking over a business that had taken so much from him.

"Lu?" Johnny prodded. "Yell at me or something. Don't just sit there. I need to know what you're thinking."

"I'm thinking that," Lulu breathed. "I don't know what to think."

"Do you hate me?" Johnny asked and Lulu instantly shook her head. "Are you going to leave me?"

"I don't know how I could stay," Lulu answered with tears in her eyes.

"How could you not?" Johnny countered. "We love each other. That's all we need."

"No it's not," Lulu cried. "I need to be able to trust you and I can't anymore."

"Please don't say that," Johnny begged.

"It's true," Lulu said softly. "You lied. You told me you didn't want this life. You told me you wanted out and that all you wanted was me, but that's not true. I don't understand."

"I do want a life with you," Johnny promised. "More than anything."

"Then walk away," Lulu pleaded.

"You're asking me to choose?" Johnny questioned.

"I never thought I would have to," Lulu whispered. "But I guess I am."

"I guess you lied to me too, then," Johnny muttered.

"What are you talking about?" Lulu demanded.

"You told me over and over that all you wanted was to be with me," Johnny answered. "But you don't want to be with me unless I'm being the person you want me to be."

"I can't believe you just said that to me," Lulu replied.

"What am I supposed to think, Lulu?" Johnny wondered. "You love me, but not enough to support me in my decision. Maybe that's not lying, but it's sure not telling the whole truth."

"You can think whatever you want," Lulu yelled. "I guess I know what your choice is."

"I don't want to choose," Johnny said quietly.

"You can't have both," Lulu responded. "What means more to you?"

"That's not fair," Johnny whispered. "You know you're the most important thing in the world to me."

"Then why is it so hard to choose?" Lulu asked.

"You're asking me to walk away from everything my father built," Johnny answered. "Do you even know what that means?"

"It means being free," Lulu said through her tears. "I thought you wanted that."

"I'm free because my father's gone," Johnny reasoned.

"I know what the business does to people," Lulu muttered. "If you take over, you'll never be free."

"What's happening, Lu?" Johnny wondered. "If I don't choose you in this moment, I never see you again? Is that how it's going to be?"

"I'm sorry, Johnny," Lulu sobbed. "I don't know how it can be any other way."

"I love you," Johnny breathed. "I always will."

"But?" Lulu questioned.

"But," Johnny said, tears forming in his eyes. "I have to take over my father's business. I want you with me every step of the way, but I understand why you can't do that."

Lulu's tears streamed down her face and she had to turn away from him. She loved him more than she thought she was capable of, but she wouldn't watch him throw his life away. She had to walk away and hope that leaving was what it took to make Johnny change his mind.

"I can't be with you, Johnny," Lulu said without turning to face him. "I'm sorry."

Lulu left the room and made it to the stairwell before she collapsed in sobs. This was the last thing she expected when she came to visit Johnny today. Everything she and Johnny had talked about was thrown away. She had spent the last few months planning a life with someone who didn't want that life. She didn't know what came next. All she knew was her heart had just been ripped from her chest.

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Johnny was staring at the door, willing Lulu to come back. To say she loved him. He needed her to love him. He kicked himself for letting her walk out the door. For not making her understand. He needed her to understand. Slowly, his eyes closed in defeat.

She wasn't coming back. She wasn't going to love him anymore. She wasn't going to understand.

He picked up his empty breakfast tray and hurled it against the wall. He began grabbing every loose item he could get his hands on and threw them around the room. He destroyed his room, but he couldn't get rid of his anger. Without Lulu, he didn't know who he was. Now he was without her forever and nothing could make that better. Lulu walking away had shattered his heart into a million pieces and she was the only one who could fix it.

But she wasn't coming back.

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Lulu sat in her car outside of Lucky's house. She had told him she might come to Thanksgiving dinner, but to not be surprised if she didn't show. She hadn't expected to go. She expected to be curled up in Johnny's arms in the hospital laughing and being happy. Nothing ever happened the way she expected it to. She slowly got out of her car and headed to the front door.

"Lulu!" Lucky exclaimed as she walked through the door. "I'm glad you made it."

"Aunt Lulu!" Cameron squealed.

"Hey buddy," Lulu smiled at Cameron before looking to Lucky. "I'm glad I'm here too."

"I haven't seen you in awhile," Nikolas said, giving her a hug. "How have you been?"

"Great," Lulu lied. She didn't have the energy to tell anyone about her broken heart.

"Good," Nikolas replied. "I'm sorry I misjudged Johnny without knowing him. Maybe he'll be out of the hospital in time for Christmas and he can come and we can all get to know him."

"He's probably getting out next week," Lulu offered.

"I bet you're excited," Lucky responded.

"It's a relief," Lulu stated. "But I don't want to talk about me. Tell me about you guys. I haven't really seen you lately."

"My life is pretty boring," Nikolas said honestly. "Spending time with Spencer and working."

"Where is Spence?" Lulu asked.

"He wasn't feeling well," Nikolas answered.

"That's terrible," Lulu sympathized. "Especially on Thanksgiving."

"I know," Nikolas agreed. "Maybe you could get out to see him sometime soon. I bet that would make him feel better."

"I will," Lulu promised before turning to Lucky. "What about you?"

"Mainly working," Lucky answered. "I wanted to take the boys on a little camping trip, but it got cold too early this year. We'll have to wait until spring."

"I'm sure they'll like that," Lulu offered.

"I love camping," Cameron smiled.

"What's your favorite part?" Lulu wondered.

"The scary stories," Cameron laughed and Lulu's heart clenched.

Johnny loved the scary stories his mom used to tell him when they went camping. Lulu couldn't stop herself from imagining Johnny taking Cameron to the clearing to go camping. She saw Johnny tell Cameron the same story he had told her before their first kiss and tears gathered in her eyes. She fought them back and stood up.

"I think I better go check on the food," Lulu smirked. "I'm afraid to think about what Lucky is going to feed us."

"You can't cook," Nikolas pointed out and another memory of Johnny came to her mind.

"Sure I can," Lulu said quickly before ducking into the kitchen.

She ran a hand over her face in an effort to control her emotions. Maybe going to Thanksgiving dinner was a bad idea.